As healthcare costs and health insurance premiums continue to increase, more and more Americans seem to be choosing to go without rather than include a health insurance plan in their expenses. Frankly, this worries me, because going without health insurance is actually a lot like putting on a fireworks show while you’re pumping gas – you’re likely to get badly burned.
I’m speaking metaphorically, here, not literally. Your lack of a health insurance plan is probably not going to result in third degree burns and hospitalization. That being said, if you do decide, for whatever reason, that you really really need to play with matches at your local gas station, you’ll get financially as well as physically toasted if you don’t have health insurance. So please, just don’t take the risk (either one).
Studies show that Americans who choose not to have a health insurance plan put themselves at greater risk at developing serious long term illnesses because they are less likely to receive the preventative care necessary to head off these illnesses early. If you end up being hospitalized for a serious illness or injury, your medical costs could be astronomical, and your recovery will likely be negatively affected by the debt that you will have accumulated.
If you are going without health insurance, or know someone who is, please just take a few minutes to research your options. You’ll probably find an affordable plan that at least provides coverage should you have a medical emergency.
Going without health insurance may seem like your best option, but really, it’s not worth the risk. You wouldn’t set off fireworks while you were pumping gas, would you? I didn’t think so. Not having a health insurance plan is just as risky.
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Great analogy Sarah! I remember that chunk of time when I didn’t have health insurance I always felt like something terrible was just waiting to happen and put me in debt for the rest of my life. I definitely am not going to let that happen again – so nerve wracking!